You’ve created an imaginary world and populated it with well-rounded characters. You’ve pinpointed the conflict and dreamed up a gratifying conclusion.
But how do you knit it all together into a satisfying story?
Narrative structure is the scaffolding that holds your story together. Think of it as a wire form over which you can papier-mâché the details that make your story special: plot, setting, and characters.
You can head to any number of websites or writing reference books that claim to lay out the best method for plotting a story. However, many writing “experts” sell their method as the only way. Beware of resources that demand you stick to a rigid outline with specified incidents happening at specific points in time. Mythcreants has a great podcast episode discussing Pseudo-Structures in Storytelling, in which they warn against blindly following popular, prescriptive structures.
There are many ways to tell stories; find the one that works best for you and the story you’re telling in this moment.
Below are seven different options to get you started. Read on and find out which one might work best for you, or jump to a specific one using the links below.
Three/Four Act Structure
Frame Narrative
The Hero’s Journey
The Heroine’s Journey
Save the Cat
Romancing the Beat
Three/Four Act Structure
You may remember the three act structure from high school English when you used it to outline Greek tragedies and Shakespearean plays. It still serves as a basic structure for modern novels and movies.
Act One takes up approximately the first quarter of the story, introducing your characters and your world. At some point during this section, the “Inciting Incident” occurs, drawing your main character into the action. This Act establishes the main question of the story: Will the heroine defeat the villain? Will the man find love? Will the lawyer win the case?
Act Two, which comprises the middle 50% of the story, is mostly “rising action.” The main character tries to solve a problem, but often ends up in a worse situation. They must develop skills (here’s your character arc!) in order to overcome the obstacles before them. This section can alternatively be broken down into two parts: the second act, from the “climax of act one” to the midpoint, and the third act, from the midpoint, to the “climax of act two” (as labeled by the image below).
Act Three (or Four) occurs in the last quarter of the story. It contains the main climax (“climax of act three”)as well as the denouement, or descending action, that wraps up loose ends and draws the story to its conclusion.
Sub-structure: In Media Res
Writers may be familiar with this Latin phrase for “in the middle of things.” Scenes often start in media res, but the term also refers to a plot structure in which the story as a whole starts in the middle of things. Looking at the Three Act Structure above, a story that uses In Media Res as a narrative structure would begin at the midpoint of Act Two, during the middle crisis.
This throws the reader directly into the action. The story basically follows the rest of the Three Act Structure, with rising action, climax, and falling action, while also cluing the reader in to how the conflict all began.
Thrillers or mysteries often use this structure to start with high tension that only increases as the story progresses.
Frame Narrative
A story within a story within a story (within a story)…
A Frame Narrative, which embeds one story (or more) within another, has been popular for centuries, even dating back to ancient Egypt and India. Perhaps the most well-known modern examples are the movies The Titanic (wherein Rose tells the story of her experience aboard the ship) and Inception (which has dreams embedded within other dreams). Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and One Thousand and One Arabian Nights also use this structure.
The Hero’s Journey
Outlined by Joseph Campbell in his book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the Hero’s Journey, is circular, rather than linear. This method is popular in fantasy and science fiction stories because the main character leaves home, faces obstacles, and returns triumphant yet changed; this structure is a staple of classic fantasy stories like Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.
This story begins when the hero’s life is interrupted by a call to leave home and go on a journey or quest (Call to Adventure); occasionally, he initially refuses. He meets a guide who gives him the tools needed to embark on his journey (Supernatural Aid). A minor obstacle marks the departure from the known world into the unknown (Threshold Guardian) and the hero begins his adventure (Threshold). Along the way, he gets aid from friends (Helper, Mentor) and faces challenges and temptations that attempt to lead him astray. He confronts the villain and fails (Abyss).
All seems lost. The hero must turn inward, think differently, or draw on power he didn’t know he had in order to move forward (Transformation). Finally, the hero can achieve his goals and defeat the villain (Atonement). Victorious, he returns to the same place he began, but he is different; he has grown, and things can never quite be the same again (Return).
The Heroine’s Journey
In a counterpoint to the Hero’s Journey, the Heroine’s Journey more specifically addresses the modern female (or non-male) experience. Outlined by Maureen Murdock in her book The Heroine’s Journey: Woman’s Quest for Wholeness, the Heroine’s Journey is also circular, but with different plot beats.
The story begins when the heroine rejects her feminine side to achieve success in a patriarchal culture (Separation from the Feminine). She then chooses a masculine social role or identity, allying herself with powerful males (Identification with the Masculine). She experiences obstacles (Road of Trials) and eventually overcomes them (Boon of Success). Her success, though, comes at a price; her new life is shallow and she has had to betray herself in the process (Awakening of Feelings). She suffers an internal crisis.
She meets a goddess figure, who inspires her return to femininity (Initiation and Descent to Goddess). However, the heroine can’t simply return to her old life (Urgent Yearning to Reconnect). First, she must reclaim the feminine values she initially scorned (Healing the Mother/Daughter Split) and come to terms with the masculine within (Healing the Wounded Masculine). Finally, she integrates the two aspects of herself, keeping a balance between both sides (Integration of Masculine and Feminine).
Save the Cat
Originally designed for scriptwriters, Save the Cat was redeveloped by Jessica Brody (Save the Cat Writes a Novel) to help novelists outline their stories.
On its face, Save the Cat looks pretty similar to the Three/Four Act structure, but I’ve found it useful for writers struggling with the basics of structure, as it outlines specifically where in a manuscript certain events should occur (e.g. Catalyst at 10%).
This structure starts with a look at what the protagonist’s status quo life is like (Set-Up) before introducing the Catalyst that will propel them into the story. The protagonist resists change (Debate), but ultimately accepts the call to action (Break into Act II) and this is where the fun and games begin (Promise of the Premise).
The Midpoint is either a False Victory (if the protagonist has been succeeding so far) or a False Defeat (if they’ve been struggling). After a False Victory, things start to go downhill. After a False Defeat, things start to look up. Either way the Bad Guys (either real or a metaphor for the protagonist’s internal issues) start to close in. This leads to the real defeat (All is Lost) and despair (Dark Night of the Soul), until the protagonist finds the strength to carry on (Break into Act III). In the Finale, the protagonist has learned their lesson and emerges victorious.
Brody breaks this structure down on her website in far more detail.
Although Save the Cat can be a useful tool when you feel like you’re floundering for structure, be wary with resources like this that claim all stories (or all “successful” stories) share exactly the same format. Also be cautious if you find yourself forcing your story into the beats in a way that doesn’t feel natural. Take what works for you and leave the rest behind.
Romancing the Beat
Gwen Hayes designed Romancing the Beat specifically for romance writers and this is the structure I like to use for my own romance books.
Romancing the Beat clearly breaks down the expected steps in a romance, starting in Act One with character introductions, the Meet Cute, establishing why there’s no way they’ll ever get together (No Way 1) and a reason they’ll be stuck together for the rest of the book. In Act Two, although they deny their attraction (No Way 2), their desire grows until it’s undeniable (Midpoint Plot Thrust).
Act Three sees doubt creeping in as the characters’ defense mechanisms and old habits get in the way (Retreat, Shields Up), culminating in the Breakup. Act Four starts at a low point (Dark Night of the Soul) before the characters realize their mistake (Wake Up), make a Grand Gesture, and win their love back (Whole Hearted). This structure also includes an Epilogue, which can be used to set up the next book in a series.
Gwen Hayes has a short book called Romancing the Beat that goes into detail about each of these plot points. See if you can find it at your local library if you’d like to read more. Numerous writing advice sites also cover this popular structure.
Which Narrative Structure Should I Use for My Story?
Whether you’re a “pantser” or a “plotter,” thinking about the structure of your story before you start writing can create a smooth narrative and a gratifying ending for your reader. But how do you know which framework is the best for your purposes?
If you already have most of your story planned, see if the plot beats line up with one of the structures above. If you haven’t quite gotten that far, you can pick one and craft your outline around the one that speaks to you.
The Three/Four Act Structure is one of the most common frameworks used in modern storytelling. In fact, most of the structures below fall into a similar format with slightly different beats. This structure would work well for most types of stories and would be a good starting place for most writers.
A Frame Narrative works in conjuction with another type of structure. In One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, the overarching story of Scheherazade could have been its own novel, while each of the tales she tells has a beginning, middle, and end.
The Hero’s Journey has long been a favorite of fantasy and sci-fi writers because the main character travels from the known to the unknown (e.g. a magical world). The key to this structure is that the hero ends up back where they started so they can see just how much they’ve changed.
In the Heroine’s Journey, the protagonist also ends up where they started, though this framework is more specifically geared towards the female/non-male experience in navigating a patriarchal culture.
Based on the Three/Four Act structure, Save The Cat describes specific points in the story where certain events are “expected” to happen. It can be a good starting point for beginner writers looking for a way to structure their story.
Romancing the Beat is a structure specific to romance stories and could also be layered beneath a different structure if romance is a subplot. It describes the ups and downs of a relationship and always ends on a happy note.
There are more varieties of narrative structure than are listed here, though these are some common ones that I find interesting. I’ve used most of these at one point or another to help me develop my story structure.
When choosing the framework for your story, keep in mind that no one narrative structure is “right.” These may be helpful as a starting point, but if you’re struggling to tell the story you want to tell within the constraints of the structure you’ve chosen, that could be an indication to pick a different framework or to throw away the rulebook.
Happy Writing!
Bibliography and Further Reading
Now Novel, “Three act structure: How to write a satisfyingly structured novel”
Go Teen Writers, “Story Brainstorming Sheets for Download”
Writer’s Edit, “Literary Devices: How to Master Structure”
Reedsy Blog, “Story Structure: Three Models for Your Book”
Wikipedia, “Frame Story”
KU: Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction, “Science Fiction Writers Workshop: Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey”
Wikipedia, “Hero’s Journey”
Reedsy Blog, “Hero’s Journey 101: Definition and Step-by-Step Guide (With Checklist!)”
Masterclass, “Writing 101: What is the Hero’s Journey? 2 Hero’s Journey Examples in Film”
Maureen Murdock, “Articles: The Heroine’s Journey”
The Heroine Journeys Project, “Maureen Murdock’s Heroine’s Journey Arc”
Wikipedia, “Heroine’s Journey”
Jessica Brody “How to Write Your Novel Using the Save the Cat Beat Sheet“
Campfire Writing “Romancing the Beat: Plotting a Romance from Hook to Happy Every After”
Plottr “Romancing the Beat: Foolproof Romance Plot Recipe”